


An Unexpected Arrival

by IntriguingScenes



Series: A Slice of Heaven in the Middle of Hell [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Skyhold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-18 06:17:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3559175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IntriguingScenes/pseuds/IntriguingScenes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a stranger is caught sneaking around the Inquisition's camps, Cullen and Cassandra naturally suspect they've found a spy. The stranger's story, however, makes things more complicated than they anticipated, leaving them stunned when they find out who he really is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Unexpected Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> So this is intended to be the first part of a multi-part story, though I'm not sure exactly how many parts it will be just yet. This chapter is all from Cullen's POV with appearances from Cassandra and some random Inquisition soldiers. I don't want to spoil any potential surprises (which I'm hoping there will be), so I'll just say that I hope you like it and feel free to leave feedback!  
> Not all of the characters I've tagged show up immediately, but I promise, they'll be there. :)

Commander Cullen stood in the courtyard of Skyhold observing the maiden usage of their newly constructed sparring ring. Somehow in the midst of everything else that needed done, the Inquisitor had found the time to scrounge together the materials for its construction, giving their soldiers a much better training session than stuffed dummies. Cassandra stood nearby scrutinizing the forms these two particular soldiers employed, seeming almost satisfied with them. It was rare that Cullen got breaks like this, though many would not consider observing soldiers train a "break." It was better than endless reports, however, and troop movements that were all starting to blend together. When one of his scouts approached in a hurry, he silently groaned at the impending interruption, though he had known it was only a matter of time until something pressing once again required his attention.

"Ser!" The scout saluted as he approached Cullen. The Commander recognized this particular scout as one who had been with them since Haven, though he couldn't honestly recall the lad's name at the moment. He was used to the newer messengers and scouts being nervous around the Commander of the Inquisition, but it struck him as odd that this seasoned fellow would look nervous at the moment. This immediately alerted Cullen to trouble.

"What is it?" Cullen asked as he turned them away from the ring to hear the scout better, and so rumors wouldn't start through the crowd.

"Ser, we've…found someone we think you should see to." The scout shuffled his feet for a moment before continuing. "Honestly, ser? We aren't really certain what to do with him." Cullen wasn't entirely certain what was happening, but he motioned Cassandra over. If the guards didn't know what to do, this may take an extra set of hands.

"Alright, go ahead," Cullen instructed when Cassandra joined them.

"We were starting to scout further into the hills to try to map the area better when I happened to look down on the camp to see one individual away from everyone else. Normally I wouldn't have thought much of it, but he seemed to be sneaking around and avoiding everyone. I asked my partner to make sure I wasn't just seeing things, but she thought he looked a little off too. That's when we descended towards the camp to grab a patrol to corner whoever this was."

"A spy?" Cullen inquired.

"I'm not sure. Possibly, but if he is, he's a bad one to get caught so easily. Anyway, we detained him and he swears he wasn't doing anything wrong. No spying or anything like that. He was just looking for his sister because rumor had it that she was here."

"Did he give a name? Who was he looking for?" Cullen wasn't sure he believed this intruders story, but clearly it was enough to catch the scout off guard.

"All he would say was that he was looking for his sister." The scout paused for a moment. "I know it isn't my place ser, but from the terrified and confused look on his face when we caught him, I think he was telling the truth."

Cullen sighed and looked at Cassandra, who just raised her shoulders and shook her head as if to say "don't ask me." They decided they should take a look themselves. If this was a spy, even a poor one, the Inquisitor and advisors needed to act quickly. The scout led them to the entryway to Skyhold, just off of the bridge, where they were greeted by two saluting guards holding a restrained prisoner between them. The man between them looked scared half to death, but not guilty or any of the other things Cullen would have expected to see in a spy. The light was dim, but there was something ever so slightly familiar about him, though Cullen was certain he had never met the man.

"Who are you and what are you doing lurking around the edges of the Inquisition's camps?" Cullen questioned the man with the same voice he used when his soldiers were doing something foolish. He was a quiet man with friends or family, but when the need arose, he could present a rather daunting image. The man before him cowered slightly before answering.

"My name is Darin and I was just looking for my sister. I swear to you, that's all I was doing. I only know of the Inquisition vaguely by name and reputation; that's how I found the camp. I don't even know what you do." His eyes were almost pleading. Now Cullen understood why the scout had come for him; this was an unusual case. He couldn't say he believed this Darin, but he certainly looked sufficiently terrified and confused to warrant a closer look.

"Assuming for the moment that I believe you, which I'm not entirely certain I do, why not send a letter? Or ask for her? Why sneak around like that?"

"If you've heard of our reputation, you should know we are not unreasonable, Darin," Cassandra interjected.

"I have heard that, my lady, but to be honest, I'm beginning to think this whole thing is a massive misunderstanding, in addition to being poorly handled on my part."

"Oh?" Cassandra cocked an eyebrow at him, just begging him to illuminate those present. Darin started blushing slightly and even smirked a bit in embarrassment. Once again Cullen noticed that something about this man was familiar.

"The short version is I thought my sister had joined a cult or something and needed some sense talked into her. Judging from the bits I've been hearing in various villages and from the camps, not to mention how well armed you all are, I'm guessing that's not entirely the case."

"What's the longer version?" Cullen was determined to know exactly what was going on before acting on anything.

"The longer version is that I'm from the Free Marches, but I've been in Orlais for quite some time on business. About the same time, my sister left for the Conclave. The next thing I heard was that the Conclave was destroyed and everyone attending was dead. I'm not ashamed to admit that the news was incredibly difficult, as I assumed my sister was one of the casualties. I was grieving and wanted to rush to Haven. What I thought I was going to do there I didn't know, but I wanted to go." Darin's eyes had grown dark talking about the presumed death of his sister. Clearly he cared for her a great deal, Cullen noted. "I'm usually the impulsive one, but for once my wife was able to talk some sense into me and I stayed in Orlais. Maybe a month ago, however, I received a letter from my parents. I honestly don't know what happened. It was several months old and was in terrible condition. I couldn't fully read the entire thing. But what I did understand was that my sister was alive and she had abandoned the Chantry for something called the Inquisition. I had heard little of your organization and thought it to be far less reputable than it seems to be. So I made some arrangements, left Orlais and came here to try to talk her out of devoting her life to a cult. It seems as though that was a mistake on my part. Between the civil war in Orlais and the fact that I was halfway to Haven before I heard of its destruction by an avalanche, it took me quite a while to get here."

Cullen wasn't entirely certain what to say about the man's story. It seemed impossible, but it almost made sense. Thankfully Cassandra was more prepared than he was.

"So you came here to search for your sister you believed to have been killed at the Conclave until a month ago?"

"Pretty much," Darin replied, still seeming slightly embarrassed. "I assume she missed the Conclave and lived. The Maker must have been watching out for her or something."

"Why were you sneaking around the edges of the camp? Why not ask someone, or even write your sister a letter?"

"I didn't write because I'd somehow gotten the impression she wouldn't respond. As for sneaking around, it wasn't exactly my intention. My sister is quiet and dislikes large crowds, but also doesn't like to wander. I thought if I looked in secluded places, I would find her quickly, but I didn't."

Cassandra caught Cullen's attention and motioned him away from the prisoner. She looked like she was running through every possible scenario in her head to decide the best course of action.

"I think I believe him," Cassandra said quietly, her heavily accented voice sounding sorry for the captive. "I know it's an insane story, but it's almost too insane to be made up."

"I suppose you have a point there," Cullen agreed. "I'm not sure even Varric could have concocted a story like that. But we can't let him continue running around camps searching for someone who may not even be here."

"No, but perhaps we could speed things along. We could try to find this supposed sister, or someone who knows of her. If we do, he's telling the truth. If we don't find a sign of her, we can address the problem then." Cullen nodded in agreement, but stopped Cassandra before she moved back to Darin.

"Does he look slightly familiar to you? I know we've never met, but there's just something that seems like I should recognize him."

"I hadn't noticed, but now that you mention it, there is something familiar. I have no idea what, but a small something." Cullen again nodded, feeling better that at least he wasn't imagining things. Darin was looking at them hopefully when they returned.

"We can't let you continue skulking about the camps looking for your sister," Cullen informed him. Darin seemed saddened, but unsurprised. "However, we are willing to help you look. If she is or has been part of the Inquisition, we will try to find her. Just know that if we can find no trace, we will assume you've been lying and take immediate action." Darin nodded solemnly, but was clearly ecstatic for the help.

"Thank you! Maker, this is more than I could have hoped for. Clearly the impression I got of you from that letter was severely mistaken."

"What's your sister's name?" If he lived to be a hundred, Cullen would never forget the absolute and complete shock the answer gave him.

"Cara," Darin told them happily. "Cara Trevelyan."


	2. Meeting the Inquisitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen and Cassandra bring their surprise visitor before the Inquisitor herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Inquisitor's name (if you didn't already know) is Cara. This chapter is mostly from her POV, though I think I slip into some other views briefly once or twice. Feedback is still appreciated, as always, and I hope you enjoy it!

Inquisitor Trevelyan sat in her quarters at her desk working through the extensive stack of missives that had accumulated during her visit to Halamshiral. Well, that's what she told herself she was doing. In reality she was admiring the mountains out her window while musing for the hundredth time that day that she really needed to move her desk to a corner without a view if she ever hoped to get any work done. She turned her head to the stairs when she heard a slight knock followed by approaching feet on her stairwell. Cullen hated that she often left her door open when she was in her quarters, but she was afraid that she wouldn't hear a knock that she should have. Besides, she liked to think it made her people feel better knowing they could have a moment if they required it and everyone knew that if it were closed, she was not to be disturbed unless in an emergency.

Grateful for the legitimate distraction, she smiled at the scout who stopped and saluted halfway across her room. She nodded her head in acknowledgement. The scout appeared to be a little bit on edge.

"Your Worship," he said as he saluted.

"What is it, scout..?" She may never remember his name, but at least she asked.

"Thomas, Your Worship. There's been…an arrival downstairs. Commander Cullen sent me to fetch you." Cara allowed a concerned expression to cross her brow.

"Hmm. If the Commander sent you after me, then this must not be an ordinary arrival. And if it were someone of rank, it would be Josephine who sent you. This must be an odd arrival indeed." She thought of several people it could be, but none of them seemed to fit the circumstances. She wasn't ashamed to admit that curiosity and excitement were her primary feelings at the time as she stood to follow the scout. "Thank you, Thomas. After you." She gestured to the stairs.

As she descended the stairs behind the scout, a few more people popped into her head, though she again quickly dismissed them. Pushing her red hair out of her face, she had to stop her mind from racing as she reached the door to the main hall. Opening the door, she found Cullen, Cassandra, Varric, and Solas standing with a man she didn't know in the middle. He seemed to be restrained and was looking at the floor. Cullen saw her and approached, probably to explain the situation. As he moved, Cara faintly heard the unknown man say something.

"You said you would help me. I haven't done anything wrong." That voice…, Cara thought as she studied the man. I know that voice…. He hadn't looked up, so all she knew was he had short, dark auburn hair, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Cullen reached her then.

"Inquisitor. We found this man prying around the edges of the camp. He says…" He trailed off as Cara stepped away from him, eyes focused only on the prisoner. He followed her steps, slightly guarded. He had never seen that look in her eye before, like a mix of confusion, concentration, and concern with a hint of incredulity. She stood on the dias below the throne, staring at the intruder for all the world like she knew him. Then she gasped and put a hand to her mouth, pure shock on her face.

"Release him," she said. Cassandra looked at Cullen, who stood at Cara's side with a ready argument against it. Cara anticipated the resistance, though. "Release. Him." She was more firm this time, nearly using the tone she used when in judgment. Her eyes never moved from the man. Cassandra exhaled sharply, but acquiesced. She cut through the restraints binding the man's hands together and for the first time he looked up at the face of the woman who had freed him.

"Impossible," he breathed. Cara started towards him, faintly hearing Cullen's "Inquisitor!" behind her. She broke out in a wide, though startled, smile, meeting the presumed stranger halfway and embracing him like she would never let go. They were both stunned to see each other, clearly, and each murmured greetings as they stood there holding the other.

Not one to let an opportunity for snark slide by, Varric whistled low. "I'm guessing this is not what you expected when you brought him in here." Cassandra and Cullen, who had rejoined the group, just watched in amazed silence. Varric eventually cleared his throat loudly, signaling them to break it up. Cara pulled back, with a breathy laugh and a smile, blushing at the display.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot you don't know each other! This is my brother, Darin! Who owes me a serious explanation I might add."

"So he really is your brother then? He said as much when we found him, but we honestly weren't sure we should believe him." Cullen was astounded at the turn of events.

Cara nodded and smiled widely in affirmation. Turning to her friends, she introduced them in turn. "Darin, this is my military advisor, Commander Cullen Rutherford, Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast, Varric Tethras, and Solas." Each nodded and gave him some form of welcome. Darin returned the gestures, then seemed to catch on to the full extent of what he was hearing.

"Wait. Inquisitor? Your military advisor?" His eyes grew impossibly large. "Andraste's ass, Cara, you're the Inquisitor I've been hearing about? My baby sister is leading what half the people I've talked to around here are calling the last chance Thedas has against chaos?" Cara laughed and mocked a bow. She could tell from his expression that he had no idea how to take it all in. "What happened to you?" He didn't mean it perhaps quite as badly as it sounded, she knew. Before she could answer, her friends were there to give him the short version of the story.

"For starters she was blamed for blowing up the Conclave and killing the Divine," admitted Cassandra.

"After she had walked out of the Fade, relatively unharmed, as the sole survivor, who also possessed the only way to close the Breach" inserted Solas.

"She charged with a group of soldiers into the Temple of Sacred Ashes to stop the Breach from growing," supplied Cullen.

"And to top it all off, she survived yet again and became known as the Herald of Andraste. I think that covers, let me think," Varric started silently counting on his fingers, thinking with feigned intensity, "the first three days." Cara laughed at her friends' help, blushing deeply.

"I think I might have had a little help," she said brightly, completely unconcerned with just how ridiculous the story might have sounded to one who wasn't there.

"That's the best part," Cullen grinned at her, "not as much as you would expect." Darin just stood there absolutely flabbergasted. Cara tried to make him feel better, but he was stunned.

"But… That's just… I… You..." He let out a long breath, visibly trying to steady himself. "I think you had better start from the beginning, Sis."


	3. Catching Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Inquisitor's brother has some catching up to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little shorter and has a very minor spoiler for "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts," though in fairness it's so minor I considered not even saying anything. Thanks for reading!

"I think that about covers it," Cara said, sipping her tea. They had been in her quarters for the last hour, sitting on the couch she had moved to the fireplace while she explained exactly what had happened over the last few months. Darin listened patiently, though she suspected he still didn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"I don't really know what to say," Darin finally admitted. "I mean, ancient darkspawn magisters? A trek through the mountains and nearly freezing to death? Your mark? All of this," he gestured around the room, exasperated.

"Don't forget I stopped an assassination attempt on Empress Celene last week and ended the civil war," she said with no small amount of good-natured mockery in her tone.

"I just can't seem to fully accept that my baby sister has gone through all of that and escaped certain death more than once! I had expected to find you in a refugee camp, or something, if I found you at all. I never dreamed you would be at the head of this!"

"I know," she agreed. "It does sound so far beyond ludicrous I'm not sure even Varric could have dreamt it up. But it's true. And the tale is far from over," she said, a bit somber. They were still trying to figure out how to stop the Grey Wardens, though at least the masquerade at the Winter Palace was over. She pushed those thoughts aside, however, and returned her attention to her brother. "Enough about my insanity, though. How did you get here? And why are you here?" It was a terrible thing to ask, but it didn't make a lot of sense.

"Honestly? I thought you were dead until a month ago." Darin seemed very morose about the topic, but Cara didn't say anything. "I never heard anything from you, so I assumed you had perished at the Conclave. It wasn't until a month ago that I got a damaged letter from Mother and Father saying you were alive and had left the Chantry for the Inquisition." Darin barked a laugh. "I thought it was a cult or something and was coming to try to get you to leave!"

"But why didn't you write after you found out? It would have saved you a lot of annoyance." Cara couldn't imagine her big brother racing halfway across Orlais despite the civil war just to find her. It reminded her of their childhood when they were constantly up to something.

"Funny. Your Commander and the Seeker asked me why I didn't write too. I told them I didn't think you would answer. Keep in mind I was under the impression you had run away from the Chantry and joined a heathen cult."

"You always were the impulsive one, running after me to make sure I wasn't being foolish." Cara smiled. Some things never changed.

"I was just hoping you were still with this Inquisition. I never imagined you'd be leading them, but I was banking on you still being around at least." Darin smiled and looked up from his tea. "You always were the predictable one."

"I suppose so. I can't believe Mother and Father never wrote to you, though. Well, wrote better. They knew what was happening, at least to some extent. Even if I hadn't told them, they would have gotten word about the Herald of Andraste eventually." Darin almost looked sorry for her for a moment.

"Do you believe that? That you are, I mean. It's a pretty big title."

"I didn't know what to think, honestly. Not at first. But not long after we officially declared the Inquisition was founded, I had to take a hard look at facts. There was a hole in the sky, mages and templars were at each other's throats and taking innocents down with them, demons were running rampant, and people needed something to believe in, anything that would give them a sense they weren't alone. I had the only means of getting rid of the demons and closing the Breach, and I had survived certain death not once but twice within days of one another. The more I thought about it, the more I began to think that maybe Andraste was helping me. I can't remember what happened, after all, and there was a woman behind me in the Fade, so maybe it was her. I'm not sure I believe I was sent by Andraste to cleanse the world or I'm her second coming or anything. Some people believe some odd things about that," she chuckled. "But I don't see how I'm sitting here now and how I've done what I have without a little help." They were silent for a long moment.

"I guess that makes sense in a weird, and slightly terrifying, kind of way," Darin finally admitted. "Does the Anchor hurt?"

"It used to. It doesn't so much anymore. At first it was horrible, but then again it was trying to kill me." She couldn't help but flex her left hand while she thought about it. "After it calmed down, it ached for a while, but I managed. Now it only acts up when I seal a rift. Then it feels like it's on fire for a few seconds." They fell into an amicable silence for several minutes. Cara could tell Darin was trying to take it all in and really come to terms with the whole situation. It was, after all, remarkably different than anything he had expected. "Why don't we take a walk?" she said suddenly. "I'm sure you'd like to get a better view of Skyhold."


	4. The Inquisitor's Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having her brother around has been great and difficult at the same time, so the Inquisitor seeks some help from Cullen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for this one I got to thinking about how I'm playing Cara (which I'm seriously starting to think I need to flesh out for readers, but I digress). Basically, Cara is a person who was promised to the Chantry at an early age and given no options. So I thought that if that was the case, how would she react to a family member showing up, even if it was one she liked? My answer is this chapter. It's a little angst and a little fluff with some Cullen romance thrown in. :) Hope you all like it!

Cara had gotten Darin situated in one of the guest rooms shortly after dinner. He didn't want to admit it, but after nearly a month of worrying and travelling, he was exhausted. She had shown him Skyhold and introduced him to everyone. He had marveled at the size of the keep, the architecture, their forces, even their garden. At his insistence, she had also shown him her daggers and armor. It took her a while to convince him that she did indeed fight demons and other enemies herself rather than just sitting on a throne all day.

She was delighted to have her brother here, especially since it was Darin. They had two older siblings, but the four of them had never really gotten along very well, probably because Myra and Timothy were not only twins, but eight years older than Darin. There was just over a year between the younger siblings. She would have been much less pleased to see one of the twins show up at Skyhold, though they never would have appeared like Darin had. While it was great, though, she couldn't ignore the constant memories of her life in Ostwick cropping up since he had arrived that afternoon. She had been a very different person before the Inquisition and she had no desire to return to that life, but it almost felt like the back of her mind was trying to pull her there. She felt like she needed someone who knew her well to pull her back, to remind her of who she was as the Inquisitor. Before she had even realized she was walking in that direction, she stood in front of Cullen's door.

She had finally worked up the nerve to admit her feelings for him just before going to the Winter Palace. She was astonished that he didn't laugh in her face. In fairness, she knew he never would have done that; he wasn't cruel. But it had still terrified her to do it, particularly when she had automatically resorted to sarcasm and accidentally embarrassed him. But now that it was in the open, they had spent nearly every evening together playing chess, working, or just talking. It had been wonderful. She knocked softly on his door and opened it a bit to peer in. She wanted to talk, but didn't want to interrupt something important.

"Inquisitor!" he said sounding surprised. He was sitting at his desk holding some report or another and looking for all the world like he would rather be fighting a dragon.

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked, silently praying the answer would be no.

"Not at all. I've all but given up on reading these at the moment." He gestured to the report he had been holding as he stood up. "I've read this one three times now and I swear I still don't know what it's about." He walked to the other side of the room to move a chair closer to his as she entered the office and softly closed the door behind her. "I confess, I wasn't sure if you would visit tonight with all the excitement."

"I practically had to force Darin into one of the guest rooms. He was exhausted, but refused to stop following me like a lost puppy!" She chuckled at the sight of her half pushing her older brother into a room, threatening to lock it if he didn't obey. "I am sorry you got caught up in all of that, by the way. That was…not the most ideal way for a family member to visit Skyhold. Or to meet the man I care about, come to think of it. Though he doesn't know about that yet." Cullen chuckled as they both took their seats.

"Yes, this has definitely been a memorable day. Let's hope we don't have more of your family showing up the same way."

"At least the rest of my family knows I'm the Inquisitor!" She pursed her lips. "I think… I still can't quite figure out how Darin managed to miss it. You would think someone would have mentioned my name around him!"

"One would have thought," he agreed. Sitting across from her now, he finally realized what it was that had seemed familiar to him about Darin at first. They had a similar smirk. He hated that he hadn't noticed it sooner, but it wasn't like he had expected a random prisoner to be related to the Inquisitor.

Cara was smiling, but Cullen noticed it wasn't quite hitting her eyes. Since she started letting her guard down around him more and more, he began to notice that her brilliant green eyes were actually quite expressive. He could tell something was bothering her, even though she was acting like everything was normal. Her chair was positioned near the corner of his desk, about as close to him as the masses of books would allow. Neither of them typically minded where their chairs were, but now he tried to scoot his chair just a little closer.

"You don't seem altogether present tonight. Is something wrong?" He was close enough that he could take her hand in both of his, rubbing the back with a gloved thumb. She smiled at him.

"Can you read everyone as easily as you do me?" Cullen scoffed at the thought.

"I wish. I couldn't always read you, but I'm getting better." He smirked at her with that devilish grin of his. Cara sighed.

"I…I love my brother dearly. I really do and it's thrilling that he's here. I'm just having conflicting reactions on the matter, I suppose. I'll figure it out." She looked up to smile at him again, though it still didn't reach her eyes. She had wanted to talk to him, but sitting here now, she had no idea what to say.

"Tell me about him." She looked down at their joined hands with a sad grin on her face.

"We were really close growing up. We had two older siblings, but Darin and I never got along with them very well. We tended to stick by each other. And we were thick as thieves most of the time. Always up to something." Her smile was much more earnest now. "We found this one spot in the manor where no one could find us. Just a little hole leading into a large enough space for the two of us. We use to climb back into this hole and laugh as the whole house searched for us for hours. Thinking back on it, we were absolutely terrible!" Cullen laughed as he imagined the Herald of Andraste, the Inquisitor hiding in a wide spot in the house laughing while people searched.

"When we started to grow up, though, reality began taking hold. He started training to help father's business and I had to start my studies for the Chantry. After that we just kind of drifted apart. We were still close, but it wasn't quite the same anymore. Having him here now almost makes me feel like a kid again, but…"

"But?" She refused to look him in the eye.

"But it also keeps reminding me of Ostwick. Not the child with a rotten streak; after that. I wasn't the same person. After my mother practically guilted me into studying and going to the Chantry and all of that, I guess I kind of withdrew from the world. I don't know how to put it better. I didn't see my friends, I didn't do the things I used to consider fun, I spoke remarkably little. I just put up this impenetrable wall so no one would see how insane my life was making me. I don't mean to sound like Ostwick was a terrible place; it wasn't by any means. I just never had any options and having a life you don't want forced onto you isn't easy. Before all of this started, I wouldn't have made the friends I have. I barely had the confidence to keep myself going in the beginning. I never would have dreamed a year ago I would be here…" She paused and finally looked up at him, reaching up to touch his cheek with her free hand. "And I certainly never imagined I would have found you." They enjoyed the gesture for a moment before she continued. "It just feels like part of me is trying to drag myself back to where it thinks I'm supposed to be with family around, like it's trying desperately to convince me all of this is a dream." She sighed heavily, dropping her head almost into her lap. Then she groaned in frustration. "This isn't making any sense, is it?"

"You're family really gets under your skin, doesn't it?" She nodded slightly. "That makes sense to me. Up until now, you're family has been far away, now they're here. Well, one of them anyway. You're having a hard time being Inquisitor Cara Trevelyan instead of someone who had no way out of a life they didn't want." She had told him before about being forced to join the Chantry simply because she was the youngest, not wanting to but not finding a way out, and having to completely change who she was for her familial expectations. The story still made him sad.

"I could almost feel myself regressing into that more and more as the day went on. I couldn't help it. I know I'm not that person anymore. You've all helped break through that wall I put up. But I still feel like I need to be reminded of who I really am before my insecurities plummet me into an abyss that shouldn't exist." Cullen grinned, though Cara didn't see it.

"That I can help with, my lady," he said lightheartedly as he pulled her out of her seat and onto his lap. It was probably the most forward thing either of them had done since their kiss on the battlements and she gasped in surprise. He held her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You are the leader of the Inquisition, a group of men and women who would follow you to the Fade and back. And trust me, they would fully believe you would return with as many of them as humanly possible. You are the woman who chose to stay behind to start an avalanche to stop a dragon so that others could escape, knowing full well you may not survive the encounter. You are the center of the most ridiculous group of friends who ever assembled which would fall apart without you, but would do anything in the world for you. You are kind, fun, loving, and your smile can light up an entire room." She laughed, earnestly this time.

"Now you're just flattering me!"

"I'm serious, Cara." And he was. Perhaps it was flattery, but it was also the Maker's truth. "You walk into horrible situations and make decisions no one should ever have had to make, and you keep going. You help people, no matter how they need help. You've pulled all of us back from our own brinks at one time or another. You always listen, no matter how much you may not want to. You are the woman I care about more than I can say. And none of us would be here without you. That's who you are, Cara Trevelyan." Cara's smile had disappeared and she just stared at him, mouth slightly open.

She didn't know what to say. She tried speaking a couple of times, but nothing she could think of even remotely approached what she truly wanted to express. It faintly looked as though Cullen was growing concerned over her silence, but he held her gaze. She could see how serious he was, how much he had meant every word he said. When she came to him, when she chose him to bring her back to reality, she had never expected that kind of outpouring. She wasn't very experienced, but since her words were failing her, she simply held his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. It felt nearly as abrupt as their first kiss had been, and she typically wasn't so forward. She kissed him more passionately than she ever had, hoping that he could tell just how much his words had meant to her, hoping that he could see this was more expressive than her words could have been. She didn't kiss him for very long, but when she pulled away, the look in his eyes told her that he had understood. They were still very close and Cara allowed one hand to drop to the fur on his shoulders, keeping the other on his cheek and moving her thumb gently.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," she said at last. "I think that was the kindest and most heartfelt thing anyone has ever said to me." He snaked his arms around her waist and hugged her close.

"Remember that the next time you feel yourself slipping," he said into her hair. "You aren't that girl anymore and you never will be again. You may have been thrown into this life of chaos, but it's made you who you are." They remained there for a while, both caught up in the moment and the sudden realization of exactly what they meant to each other. Finally Cara sat up and returned to her seat with a real smile.

"Now then, how about I beat you in a game of chess?"


	5. Skyhold's Showdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skyhold's sparring ring gets some widely-recognized attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one is almost completely from my Inquisitor's brother Darin's POV. I like the idea of a family member seeing Cara in action for the first time, but thought it was more interesting to take a step back from the normal perspectives one would see in the Inquisition. So let me know what you think of the different POV!
> 
> Oh, and Cara is a dual-wielding rogue with a Tempest subclass. I took some liberties with what you can actually do with some of the abilities, but almost everything I used has some basis in actual gameplay.

It had been two days since Darin had arrived at Skyhold. For the most part, things went on as they normally did around the keep. Cara of course still had meetings in the war room and other duties to attend to, but when free, she and her brother were nearly inseparable. The talk she had had with Cullen that first night continued to resonate with her. Not once did she feel any kind of tug to return behind her wall. Darin wanted to know everything he could about the place, the people, the events. Even though she had told him everything that had happened, when she was busy he would often ask her friends about events, just for the different view. Everyone always had their spin on things. During meals, particularly dinner, the Inquisitor's inner circle loved questioning him about their beloved Herald as a child. He had no shortage of stories for them, either.

On the second afternoon, Darin found himself walking through the main hall while Cara was doing some Inquisitor thing or another. He was on his way outside when Varric came jogging through the main door waiving to Darin.

"Hey, Bud! Wait there for a minute!" The dwarf had taken to calling him "bud" after hearing Cara call him that once or twice. It might not have been his first choice of a nickname, but since it appeared Varric gave everyone nicknames, it actually made him feel rather accepted. He watched as the dwarf ran through the door beside his usual table.

"Sorry about this, Chuckles," Varric said to Solas before tilting his head up and shouting. "Sparkler! You're gonna miss it! They're finally in the ring!" Darin was still sorting out everyone's nicknames, but he recognized this one as the Tevinter, Dorian. Judging by the sound, he assumed Dorian had looked over the railing.

"Two silvers on Cara!" Dorian shouted down before running down the stairs and coming through Varric's door with the dwarf right behind him. Varric motioned Darin to follow them outside.

"You're gonna lose that bet, Sparkler. Our Inquisitor is good, but I don't think she'll be able to get past our Commander." Darin was completely lost as they passed through the doors. Varric must have noticed the perplexed look he held when seeing the number of people gathered around the sparring ring in the courtyard.

"Your dear sister is finally taking on our Commander," Varric explained. "We've been waiting for them to give in to this for weeks!" Nearly everyone in Cara's inner circle was around the ring, except for Josephine, Vivienne and Solas, though Darin suspected they were probably watching from somewhere. He didn't see Cara yet, or the Commander for that matter, but the whole idea of watching this put a pit in his stomach.

"Your sister fights much worse than the Commander," Dorian said giving him a sideways glance. "You needn't look so worried."

"I know what everyone has said, it's just that I've never seen her fight. I never thought I would. It's hard to imagine the meek little sister I left in Ostwick would be able to fight a dummy, let alone a well-trained former Templar."

"Don't worry about it, Bud. I doubt he pulls even half his strength on her." Varric had a devilish grin on his face. Dorian agreed with him. Darin just looked between the two of them confused.

"Do you suppose they realize we know yet? Or do you think they are just ignoring the reality of their situation?" Dorian mused.

"Neither of them are idiots. They have to be ignoring it," Varric replied.

"Andraste's ass, what are you two talking about?" Darin hated being kept in the dark.

"She hasn't told you?" Darin shook his head. "Well, you might as well join the rumor mill, Bud. She and Curly are…seeing each other. They like to play that we don't know, but we all do."

"Oh," was all Darin could contribute. Dorian laughed.

"And now you see why we are so anxious to see them sparring together." Darin was silent on the matter. They stood on the stairs leading down to the courtyard where they would be certain to have a good view. Finally they saw Cara and Cullen wade through the crowd and into the ring. Cara looked quite intimidating in her gear with two daggers strapped to her back and, for some reason he couldn't fathom, a chain around her wrist which tied to her belt. Cullen looked much the same as he always did, excepting that he had removed the fur pauldrons he normally wore and now carried a shield on his back.

"Three silver on a draw," Darin inserted suddenly, much to the surprise of his acquaintances. Dorian and Varric both looked at him like he'd lost his mind. He couldn't help but grin widely. "Cara told you about those daggers she kept under her bed? Who do you think gave them to her?" The three men would later reflect on that small moment as the one when they moved from "acquaintance" to "friend."

Cara suddenly hopped, surprisingly easily, onto one of the boards around the ring so she could get some extra height. Cullen stood beneath her making sure she didn't lose her balance, though she maintained it well. Darin had to look at the pair of them and consider what Varric had told him about them; he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. Cullen's eyes looked through the crowd, but he looked constantly aware of Cara in front of him. Now that Darin thought about it, Varric's information explained a few lingering gazes and meaningful looks he had caught between them.

"Alright everyone!" Cara shouted over the noise. "I know you've all wanted to see the Commander and I on the training grounds, Maker knows why. We've agreed to a more public training today than we normally would, but I want to set some ground rules before we do this. Everyone around the ring needs to step back. The Commander and I are using our real weapons and we don't want to risk hurting anyone that gets too close." People began scooting backward and Cara held up her hands when she was satisfied with the distance. "Thank you. That is for our protection and yours. Oh, and for anyone hoping to see my tempest's flasks in use, no such luck. It wouldn't be fair to throw ice at our commander." There were a few sporadic groans and several laughs through the crowd. "So, settle up your bets everyone. Yes, I know there are a lot of bets out there." She hopped down amid a combination of chagrin and exchanging bets throughout the crowd.

Darin honestly had no idea what he was about to see, and was extremely confused at her mention of "flasks". Knowing someone does something is one thing; seeing it in action is very different. He was excited and terrified at the same time, even if he did know she stood no chance of getting hurt. He may have given her the first daggers she used, but that was mostly the extent of his knowledge. Beside him, Varric and Dorian were very nearly bouncing with anticipation.

After her speech, Cara walked to the other side of the ring where she stood with her hands at her sides. He couldn't make out exactly what she was doing, but it looked like her eyes were closed. Cullen took his shield in one arm and drew his sword with deliberate slowness. He wouldn't say anything to the other two, but Darin for some reason had the feeling they had rehearsed this. Slowly, Cara reached behind her and unsheathed her daggers. Her eyes were still closed. Darin walked down a couple of steps, just to see her features better. She loosened the chain around her wrist and Cullen struck a position behind his shield.

The seconds ticked by and neither of them did anything but stand there, Cullen behind his shield and Cara with her arms by her sides and her eyes closed. Darin guessed she was the one who was supposed to initiate this. She flipped her daggers around in her hands. The crowd held their breath. There was one warning before Cara opened her eyes, if one was looking carefully enough. A slight smirk and that was all. There was a bare a moment for Darin to take in the look on his sister's face. She was fully focused on the man in front of her and there was no trace of the meek girl he had left in Ostwick. She looked like a different person entirely and Darin suddenly found himself rooting for her, even though his bet was for a draw. Briefly he considered that the fire he saw in her eyes was probably why these people followed her so loyally.

That was all thought in a single moment, though, because she opened her eyes in one moment and in the next she had flung the chain around her wrist into the siding of the ring and pulled herself across. The fight had begun before anyone had a chance to process the movement. Darin couldn't believe the grace with which she fought. She flew across the ring and leapt backward off the board, loosening her chain as she went. The crowd gasped as they realized she had flipped across Cullen's sword as he swung toward her. With both feet on the ground, she struck with one dagger towards Cullen's now exposed side, but he spun out of her reach with the weight of his sword. Clearly he was a master with his weapon to be able to use a missed swing to his advantage, Darin noted.

They now stood face to face, but they didn't remain motionless for more than a few seconds. Cullen swung again with his sword, but Cara jumped and rolled away, landing a few feet away. They circled each other for a few steps, then Cara ran right up to him. Of course he put his shield down with a slight downward angle like Templars are trained to do. She seemed to be counting on that, though, and jumped to use the edge of his shield as a vault to get behind him again. If anyone had ever told Darin about that move, he would have thought them crazy, but Cullen had been low enough behind his shield that it had worked. He was too quick for her to press her advantage, though, despite his heavy armor. He swung his sword and Cara blocked with a dagger. She tried to disarm him with the other, but failed. He tried to pin her against the siding with his shield, but she again rolled away from him.

It was an amazing contrast to witness. Darin knew little of fighting, but even he knew how impressive these two combatants were, and why everyone had wanted to see this fight. Cullen was immovable, but quick. He could easily block and attack, but he could just as easily turn so he wasn't caught with her behind him. Cara, however, was able to dance around anything he threw at her. She rolled away, flew across the ring with her chain, even jumped over his sword as she was standing on a post at one point. They went on like this for 20 minutes or more, never standing still for more than a few seconds at a time, all the while the crowd cheered and groaned and acted like it was the most spectacular thing in the world. Darin honestly believed Andraste herself could have walked through Skyhold's gate at that moment and the entire keep would tell her to wait until this was done.

They should have been wearing each other down, exhausting each other, but they just kept going. Darin couldn't believe their stamina. He was still thinking this might be a staged fight, but he honestly didn't care. He happened to notice that twitch of a smirk on Cara's face again, though, right before she did something he would have called idiotic had it not been in a practice ring. In one easy movement, she brought out a small flask and broke it in the direction of her opponent. Its contents landed just beside him and before he could make a move she grinned, ran, and slid on her knees across the ice she had created. Leaning back as she slid, she missed a stroke of his sword. If she hadn't aimed for his right side, he would have surely hit her with his shield. Everything looked like it was going in slow motion. Cullen was turning as she was standing. She narrowly missed hitting his ribs with her left dagger. He flipped his sword so that it now pointed down the length of his arm and brought it back just as she fully stood, resting it at her throat.

The crowd was absolutely silent. Cara and Cullen just stood there, breathing heavily but not moving. Darin couldn't see their faces because their sides were to him, but that's when he realized what he wasn't sure anyone else had seen yet: the glint of a grey dagger under the commander's sword arm, pointing at his throat. Cullen had kept his shield up thus far, blocking the full view from Darin, but he dropped it now, revealing another dagger poised in perfect position to miss his armor and sink into his chest, likely hitting his heart. He had her by throat, but she had him too. Slowly, the crowd began to process the draw in front of them. Several gasped, a few looked pleased, and then there were a multitude of groans, presumably the ones who had bet for one side or the other.

Cullen and Cara released each other after the news started spreading through the crowd. Clearly they had wanted everyone to get a look, or at least know someone who did. Cullen sheathed his sword with a small flourish and a smile at Cara. She flipped her daggers twice before returning them to her back, also with a smile. Cara mocked a formal bow to the crowd and exited towards the main hall with Cullen behind her.

"Looks like we owe you some money, Bud," Varric said, his voice heavy with surprise. "I have to ask, how did you know? You couldn't have just gotten that lucky when you've never seen her fight." Darin shrugged.

"Brother's intuition? I don't know." He wasn't sure Varric and Dorian believed him, but what could he say? He had two theories and he didn't think either of them would want the fun taken out of that amazing display. Cara and Cullen reached the trio about that time, anyway.

"Alright, Sis, I have to admit it. That was amazing." Darin couldn't help the grin spreading across his face. "I never expected to see you in action. Where did you learn that? You couldn't have gotten it from the daggers I snuck you in Ostwick." Cara laughed as she ushered them inside.

"A little of it I did. It was enough to get me through the first few weeks. But I kept trying things, got a little help from other people, and bruised my pride more times than I care to admit, but I eventually got the hang of it. It wasn't easy to get me into any kind of shape to be out there fighting evil."

"It took me two weeks to teach you to pick a simple lock!" Varric chimed in. They entered the door to the main hall where a couple of servants had drinks ready for them. Josephine wasn't far behind, presumably the mastermind behind them. Darin, Varric, Dorian, Cullen, Cara, and Josephine sat at one of the tables with their drinks, talking and generally enjoying each other's company. Eventually everyone but the siblings and Cullen ambled off to attend to something else before dinner.

"So," Darin began innocently. His curiosity demanded it. "I promise not to tell, but how much of that fight was staged?" Cullen, who had been taking a drink of his ale, coughed into the mug and Cara froze, her green eyes wide in astonishment.

"What are you talking about?" she countered.

"Come on, Sis. I'm not an idiot. The way I see it, you two are some of the most well-respected people in this keep, at least when it comes to those men out there. The Commander can't be seen defeating the woman who's supposed to fix the world, just like you can't be seen defeating the Commander all of those soldiers look up to. However, they want to see it and it would be good for morale. Why else risk the uncertainty of using your real weapons? Not to mention that flask thing, Cara, which I'm assuming was part of that tempest thing you told everyone you weren't going to use." Cara sighed and looked meaningfully at Cullen. Darin noted that there was definitely something between the two; there was no other way they could practically have an entire conversation without saying a word.

"You win, Bud," Cara said finally, leaning in to speak quietly. "Yes, that entire thing was staged, even the part with my flask. In our defense, though, we're usually a pretty even match anyway, so it wasn't like we were lying to people. And it was great for morale; you saw it. We might have made it a little more dramatic for effect." She grinned knowingly at Cullen for a moment, who grinned right back at her.

"Was that what that first bit was all about? When you were just standing there with your eyes closed? I mean, I'm guessing you don't actually do that on the field."

"That actually did have a bit of a purpose," Cara replied. "Yes, it might have helped the effect, but I'm not used to training in front of so many people. Out in the field, you just act; this was different. We had practiced this numerous times and we were comfortable we wouldn't hurt each other, but I knew I would get nervous when it came down to it."

"We agreed that she would start when she was ready," Cullen inserted. "She was actually using a focusing technique I was taught in Templar training to drown out everything around her. We had a signal and everything."

"The smirk." It was a statement, not a question.

"The smirk," Cara confirmed. "I'm surprised you noticed it."

"So is that the way you normally fight? With all that flying around and dancing around your opponent?"

"Oh, yes, that part was real. We weren't going to change our styles just for this." They fell into an amicable silence. Cara looked back to Darin after a few minutes, though, studying him closely. "You won a bet, didn't you? You bet on a draw."

"I might have bet 3 silvers on a draw with Dorian and Varric. No offense, Sis, but I figured this was either going to be staged or at absolute best, you would be an even match for your ex-Templar. If it wasn't staged, I figured there was no way you would actually beat the man who controls your army. You don't get a title like that without the abilities to back it up." Cara looked like she was struggling between offence at his lack of faith or impressed by his reasoning. The three of them sat together a while longer before Cara and Cullen decided to get cleaned up before dinner. They stood, to go, but paused when Darin stopped them. He looked them both in the eye for a long moment before saying anything.

"You two should probably know, everyone already knows. I don't know how I missed it. But you're good together." He smiled as he stood and turned to leave, barely holding in a laugh when he heard Cara gasp "Oh, Maker!" and Cullen groan. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything and perhaps that wasn't the way to do it, but Cara wasn't the only one with a mischievous streak!


	6. Last Night at Skyhold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cara's brother prepares to leave Skyhold, but not without a small send-off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I've been holding off on this chapter for a while, mostly because I can't decide if I actually like it or not. I decided to post it anyway and see how it goes over. :) This is another chapter from my Inquisitor's brother's POV. Barring a brilliant idea, this will be the last chapter for the series. As always, feedback is welcome and I hope you all like it, even if I'm a little unsure of it.

            “This has been an amazing week, Cara, but I think it’s time I get back to Orlais.  I’m still managing business for Father there, plus I left my wife behind to take care of things while I’m gone.”  Darin and Cara were sitting in her quarters having a late afternoon tea break when he decided that now was as good a time as any to tell her.  She nodded grimly when he finished speaking.

            “I completely understand, though I wish you didn’t have to go.  You wouldn’t want to keep Irene waiting too long for you,” she said as she crushed some mint into her tea.  “Next time you visit you should bring her with you.”

            “I think we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it; perhaps after you’ve saved the world.  Besides, I know you have things you need to do away from Skyhold.  And to be honest, I’m not sure I could stand there and watch you leave knowing that your purpose is to find the most dangerous thing you can and remove it.”  That was a thought that he had tried very hard to ignore.  His sister’s job was a very difficult and dangerous one.  Just the thought of what she _might_ come across nearly made his heart stop.  Cara smiled kindly, though, being her usual understanding self.

            “I know it bothers you.  We’re just part of two different worlds now.  I couldn’t give this up if I wanted to, not when I’m literally the only one who can stop it.  That doesn’t mean that our worlds have to be mutually exclusive, though.  We’ll just have to find a way to make sure we can still visit.”

            “And I’ll be sure to arrive properly from now on!”  They laughed, then fell silent for a moment.  “Can I ask you something, Sis?”  She nodded and he continued.  “I know you say you can’t leave because of the Anchor, but if that wasn’t part of it, would you want to?  Is this really the life you want?”  He wasn’t entirely certain what he wanted the answer to be.  Cara didn’t answer immediately.  Rather, she picked up her tea and walked out onto the balcony overlooking Skyhold.  He followed, assuming she would answer.

            “No, I don’t think I would,” she finally answered, looking down over the keep.  _Her_ keep.  “I would have few options if I left, but it really isn’t even about my options.  I can’t think of another thing in the world I would rather be doing.  My life runs on chaos and fear and being terrified that I’ll do something wrong and plummet the world into darkness, but I’m willing to accept that in return for the people I’ve met, the home I’ve created, and the purpose I serve.  I don’t care if I’m the Inquisitor or not, but this place is special, despite the circumstances.”  It was impossible to miss the devotion on her face as she talked about the Inquisition.  She really did love this.  She looked at him directly after that, smirking.  “You weren’t thinking of trying to get me to leave my cult, now were you?”

            “Not in the slightest,” Darin replied.  “They need you.  And I think you need them, too.”  The serious moment having passed, Cara looked more cheerful.

            “When do you want to leave?”  Her smirk said she was planning something.

            “Probably tomorrow.  Why?”

            “Then I think we should go to the tavern tonight.  I would call it a party, but then Josephine would want to organize some grand thing. I love her to death, but she does like to organize things.”  Cara smiled expectantly at Darin, who shrugged.

            “Alright, that sounds like fun.  We can drag a couple of people along with us if we want.”

            “And I’ll give Maryden a few extra coins for music.  I think my big brother deserves something of a celebration before returning to normality!”  She raised her tea cup like a toast and finished it off before returning inside.

            Word circulated at dinner that Cara and Darin were going to celebrate before he returned to Orlais tomorrow.  By the time the meal was over, all of Cara’s inner circle knew about it and several had decided to celebrate with them.  The siblings agreed to meet in the main hall about an hour after dinner and would go to the Herald’s Rest from there.  Cara had apparently decided to change clothes for the occasion because when she opened the door to her quarters, Darin noticed she was actually wearing a flowing green skirt that matched her eyes, a fitted grey shirt with long sleeves, and short black heels, rather than her usual buckskin attire.  Darin was suddenly glad he had changed into something slightly better than usual, wearing a white tunic and black breeches tucked into is black boots.  
            “Decide to dress up for me?” he inquired, gesturing to the skirt.

            “Well, this _is_ a celebration after all.  What’s a party without party clothes?”  Darin just laughed and offered his arm.  Cara happily walked beside him, completely oblivious to the stares she was getting.  He guessed she didn’t dress up for many people.  They entered the tavern, which was surprisingly sparsely populated at the moment. 

            “Go grab a couple of drinks,” Cara instructed.  “I’ll go talk to Maryden.”  Darin did as he was told, though he had to rely slightly on the bartender to know what Cara would like to drink.  Apparently she now liked mead.  Darin sat down at a table and Cara caught up with him, taking her mug. 

            “It seems a little slow in here tonight,” Darin remarked.

            “I’m sure others will show up in a bit,” Cara reassured him. As if on cue, Iron Bull returned from somewhere and joined them rather than occupying his usual corner.  After him came Varric and Dorian, naturally.  All got their own drinks and joined the siblings.  It wasn’t long before the conversation got much more vibrant, everyone telling favorite stories. 

            Sera eventually joined the party, presumably when the fun noises reached her room, though she didn’t stay at the table for very long.  Even Cole decided to see what a party was like.  They had to bring another table to join theirs when Blackwall, Josephine, and Cassandra entered.  When Cullen walked down the stairs, having crossed the battlements rather than the courtyard, Dorian escorted him to a seat Varric had recently vacated beside Cara.  Darin was certain that was intentional.  Cullen, however, looked like he had gotten caught in the middle of something he hadn’t intended to, but he didn’t leave either, so perhaps not.  Everyone was laughing and it was probably the greatest farewell celebration Darin had ever been to, much less been the guest of honor at. 

            About an hour after they had all arrived, the bard started playing a tune that seemed to catch Cole’s ear.  At least, Darin thought it did.  It was often difficult to tell with that boy.  He got up and said something to the bard and she stopped playing it while he walked back over to Cara.  Leaning between Cara and Cullen, the boy whispered something in her ear that Darin couldn’t hear and a wide smile broke out across her face, along with a very deep blush.  The whole table was staring, seeming to wait for an answer they somehow knew was coming.  Much to Darin’s surprise, Cara stood up and everyone cheered.  She walked over to the empty space in the tavern and the bard started up her song again.  Darin’s mouth practically dropped open when Cara started dancing with the boy!  He hadn’t seen her dance in years and he was stunned she was doing it now in public.

            “If only that kid understood how many men would give anything to successfully pull that move…” he heard Varric say.  Josephine and Blackwall rose after they had started and chose their own spot on the floor to dance in, though not as intricately as Cara and Cole were dancing.  Darin watched in amazement as Cara moved around the floor, looking like she didn’t have a care in the world when in fact she had the greatest cares of all.  Dorian must have seen his awestruck expression.

            “Tell me, Darin, what was your sister like in Ostwick?  I don’t mean the funny stories you’ve already told us.  What kind of person was she?  Because you honestly look at her sometimes like you don’t know her.”  Varric murmured his agreement and Cullen turned from his observation of the pair to listen.

            “Honestly? I’m not sure I do know her anymore.  Not completely.  In Ostwick, I was usually the one getting her into trouble.  She was shy and meek, particularly after mother found out about her association with the staff.  She put a lot of pressure on Cara that never should have been there and she was never the same after that.  But here, she looks like she belongs.  I’ve never seen her as comfortable with a group of people as she is with all of you.”  He looked around the table, driving his point home for all of them.  He looked to Cullen last, and paused for a second longer.  If his sister was going to be with this man, he especially should know all of this.  “And I’ve never seen her trust anyone like she trusts all of you.  I mean, when I left Ostwick, she didn’t trust someone to carry her bag for her.  Now she’s got an incredible group of people she literally entrusts her life to on a daily basis.  I never thought I would see that.  I came here trying to convince my sister to leave what I thought was a cult.  Now I understand why she says she wouldn’t leave if she could; and I would never try to make her.”  He hadn’t intended to give a speech like that, but since they were asking he thought he would give them the truth.  He vaguely heard Maryden start another song in the background and glanced over to make sure Cara was still dancing.  She didn’t need to hear this.

            “You asked her if she would leave?” Cullen asked, looking a little annoyed at his lover’s brother.

            “Not seriously.  It was hypothetical.  I was curious to know if she would leave this kind of life behind if she wasn’t the only one who could put the world back together.  She said no.”  He smiled in the direction of his sister, suddenly feeling like he couldn’t possibly be any more proud of her.  “She stumbled into something exactly when the world needed her.  But I think she needed all of this too.  It’s hard to explain, but I think she was always meant for this.”

            “Thanks for telling us all this, Bud,” Varric said after a few moments of reflection.  “It’s not often you get to hear exactly where you stand in someone’s life.”  With that the song ended and Cara returned to the table after grabbing another drink.  She could tell something was different, so naturally she immediately blamed her brother.

            “Have you been telling stories when I can’t defend myself?  Well two can play at that game.”  She proceeded to launch into an embarrassing story that she had clearly been saving for years, none the wiser that Darin’s explanation made her “payback” even more endearing.  Darin had lost count of all the times he had looked at Cara over the past week and wondered where his sister had gone; this was just another time.  Those thoughts, though, were always followed almost immediately with the realization that she had found a place in the world like few ever did.  Listening to her tell her ridiculously embarrassing story, he suddenly couldn’t imagine her being anything other than the Inquisitor and running this organization with all the people around them.  He didn’t know how she did it, but it was masterful and he couldn’t be more proud.


	7. An Honorary Member

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't really intending to do another chapter for this series, but people liked it and I got (what I hope is) a good idea. It's longer than what I usually write, but I hope you all enjoy it. The area where this takes place is a section of Skyhold I made up, so it doesn't have an in-game location.

            It had been raining for days without any signs of even slowing down, let alone stopping.  Darin had enjoyed his farewell in the Herald’s Rest immensely, but as it turned out, the rain would prevent him from leaving.  Sometime during the night, it had started pouring so hard that Skyhold’s inhabitants couldn’t see across the courtyard when dawn lightened the keep.  After five days of heavy rain, marked by occasional bouts of thunder and lightning, Darin was ready to be on his way home.  He was glad he hadn’t left in such horrible weather, but it was getting ridiculous. No one ventured outside unless they had to and everyone’s good spirits were waning.  At least nothing was leaking too badly; that was relegated to the older parts of Skyhold that hadn’t been fully reconstructed yet.  It was old, but the fortress was quite sturdy.  Mostly. 

            Darin and Cara were enjoying a game of chess in her quarters on the fifth day of rain.  Well, Cara was enjoying it; Darin was getting slaughtered.  He had always been able to beat her at this game, but apparently she had learned a few things from Cullen.  The rain was, for the moment, relatively gentle, at least gentle enough for Cara to open one of the doors to her balcony partially.  The fresh air came as a relief since it had been raining even harder than usual that day.  Darin studied the Andrastian windows Cara had chosen for the room while she studied the chess board.  He had known for a while there was little chance of him winning this game, so he was unsurprised when she made her move and announced she had him.

            “Checkmate!”  It was the first time she had beaten him and she was exuberant. 

            “I see someone has been getting some strategic help,” he said through a mischievous grin.  Cara feigned shock and hurt.

            “Are you saying I wasn’t good enough to win with my own skill?”  Darin leaned closer to whisper his retort.

            “That’s exactly what I’m saying, dear sister.”  His grin never left.  Cara playfully punched his arm and laughed.  “So violent!” he quipped.  “I think that Commander of yours has been a poor influence on you.”

            “Oh, yes,” Cara said with a great deal of sarcasm while retrieving the game’s box.  “Cullen is definitely the reason. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the demons, Venatori, or the rest of that lot.”

            “They may have had a _little_ something to do with it,” he admitted.  Cara laughed loudly.

            “I should mark this on my calendar: The day my grand big brother admitted I was right!  I think a celebration may be—”  A large rumble that shook the room interrupted the merriment.  The siblings looked at each other with wide eyes.  “That didn’t sound like thunder, did it?” Cara asked, all mirth gone from her eyes to be replaced with fear and dread.

            “Not at all.”  Cara quickly crossed to close her door and they both ran for the stairs.  “What could that have been?”  Darin asked as they descended.

            “I don’t know.  It could have been an accident in the storerooms where I have the builders working.  Or maybe even a landslide.  Just pray to every god in Thedas that it isn’t any of the other things I’ve thought of in the last thirty seconds.”  He wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but from the look on her face, he was certain he didn’t want to know.  There weren’t many visitors in Skyhold right now because of the weather, but it looked like all of them were in the Main Hall when they arrived.  Apparently the siblings hadn’t been the only ones to hear whatever that was.  Darin recognized a few people, Lady Montilyet and Varric among them.

            “What was that, Josephine?” Cara inquired as she approached.  Darin vaguely noted how interesting it was to see Cara as the Inquisitor; he hadn’t seen it but once or twice.  And one of those he had been tied up without realizing who was standing in front of him.

            “I don’t know, my lady,” Josephine responded.  “Whatever it was, it seems all of Skyhold heard it.”  That was when an elf came running into the room, the door banging open announcing her presence.  She skidded to a halt and searched the room.  Seeing Cara, she started running again.  Cara met her half way.

            “Inquisitor!” the elf shouted, relief flooding through her panicked expression.  “Thank the Maker! It’s the storerooms, the ones the builders have been working in.  One of the walls has water pouring through.  It must be a stream or something.  Please help them!  They can’t get out!”  The elf started sobbing hysterically.

            “Josephine!” Cara said as she pressed the weeping girl into the ambassador’s arms.  “Send word to—” 

            “I know, Inquisitor.  Go!”  Cara didn’t waste a second look, taking off at a dead run towards the door the elf had run through.  Darin was a split second behind her. He didn’t know if Cara had realized he was there; frankly he didn’t care.  He was a strong swimmer and she needed help.

            “Where are we going?” he asked as they ran.

            “Some old storerooms we found.  The stairs fell long ago and we have been using a ladder until we can get new ones built, so this is going to look like jumping into a well or something.”

            They ran as fast as they could to the storerooms.  Several flights of stairs separated them from their destination.  Darin was glad Cara was leading because he was already a little lost.  At the end of a large room, Darin saw their target.  It did indeed look like a well, though it was much wider.  He could see water in the shaft as they approached.  Cara didn’t slow down.  She ran and dove into the water.  Darin pulled off his jacket as he ran and did the same.  The water was freezing, but he swam down anyway.  Luckily there was enough space for both of them.  The entryway to the room was blocked by mud, stone, and a half-broken door.  They tried to get through, but there wasn’t enough open space and they couldn’t move the debris in time.  Cara kicked the remnants of the door in frustration then swam up for air.  When he surfaced, Darin noticed the water had risen a bit more.

            “Darin, stay behind me.  When you get the chance, go for it.”

            “But what…”  Cara was already back underwater.  With a deep breath, he joined her.  He stayed back but was still confused. At least until he saw a bright green light emanating from her left palm.  What had she called it?  The Anchor.  Right.  Darin couldn’t help but question if it would even work underwater.

            Apparently the answer was yes, it would.  Darin felt a shockwave go past him, then saw the door floating in pieces; he didn’t see the rest of the debris.  He swam ahead, looking for the builders.  It looked like there were only a few, but since there were only two rescuers, he wasn’t optimistic.  He made for two figures floating towards the back.  Hoping it would be enough, he gave each a breath of air, then grabbed each by an arm.  It wasn’t easy, but he managed to swim backwards and drag the two bodies with him.  Cara helped him through the door, then went in herself.  Darin’s lungs were aching.  He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold his breath.  The thought of not getting his charges out, though, spurred him on.  He wasn’t going to let them drown; he just hoped they were still alive.  Finally his head broke the surface.  Gasping for air, he pushed the builders he carried into waiting arms without even looking to see who it was that was waiting.  Cara wasn’t back yet, so with another deep breath, he descended once more.  Cara was coming through the doorway and motioned him into the rom. Apparently there was another.  He found what he hoped was the last quickly and rushed to the surface after giving them some air.

            “I didn’t see anyone else,” he said as he handed this one to a waiting, well, he didn’t know who it was. 

            “I only saw five,” Cara confirmed.

            “One last check?  Just to be sure?”  Cara nodded and they went back to search one last time.  Cara’s mark glowed a bit, making it easier to see.  They found no one else, though they did find a decent sized hole in the wall.  Darin touched the edge of the hole and cut himself on a sharp rock.  They surfaced again.  The water, thankfully, hadn’t gotten much higher, but it was only about a foot below the top edge of the shaft.

            “There’s no one else,” Cara announced to those assembled.  The only one Darin recognized from his position in the water was Cullen.  “It looks like all the rain filled up an abandoned pit or well or something.  Possibly a mine.  It seems the pressure was too much and it burst into the storeroom.  What about the builders?”  Cullen looked behind him.

            “It looks like they are all breathing, at least.  They’ve coughed up a fair amount of water.  They just might make it thanks to the two of you.”

            “That is excellent news,” Cara said. She and Darin were both smiling. Cara looked around her and barked a laugh.  “I have no idea what to do about all this.  I don’t think we need a pit to swim in.  Maybe if it was a little bigger,” she joked.

            “Let us worry about that for now.  You two don’t need to get sick.”  Cullen was all business, but there was a light in his eyes suggesting he wanted to laugh at the whole thing now that the danger had passed.  Darin had to admit, it did look ridiculous.  Cara’s hair was plastered to her head with wisps attached to her forehead and she was starting to shake a little from the cold water.  He figured he didn’t look much better.  Plus they were both fully clothed and treading water while looking up from a supposed-to-have-been stairwell conversing with a soldier in half armor with a few others standing about.  Cullen pulled off his gloves to help Cara out and Darin took a hand from one of the other soldiers standing nearby.

            “Have anyone going down there be cautious,” Cara said to Cullen once they were on solid ground again.  “I _may_ have…exploded the door and some debris to get in.” Cara looked like she was trying so hard not to laugh she would cry.

            “Exploded the…How…”  Cullen didn’t look much better than Cara.  He failed completely when she raised her left hand and wriggled her fingers to answer his question.  He laughed and Cara followed suit.  Darin couldn’t help but laugh with them.

            “About that, Sis,” Darin choked out.  “Next time, give me a better explanation, will you?”  Cara laughed even harder.

            “Next time?  How many times do you expect _rain_ to knock a hole in the keep?”

            “You tell me!” he retorted.  “You’re the one who got a favor from Andraste or something and use it to remove doors and debris that don’t agree with you.”  Cara was still laughing.  Cullen had a hand over his mouth trying to stop.  The laughter did dissipate, though, and Cullen ushered them away from the flooded shaft, seizing two blankets along the way.  It looked to Darin like two or three of the builders they rescued were conscious, which he was thrilled to see. 

            “Darin, you’re bleeding!” he heard Cara say.

            “What?”  Looking in the same direction as his sister, he saw that his left hand was indeed bleeding.  He had completely forgotten he had cut himself.  “Oh, right.  Commander, you might also want to warn people that the hole where the water came through is rather sharp.”  Cullen nodded in affirmation.  Cara took a bandage, cloth, and a bottle of liquid from where the builders were being taken care of and walked back over to Darin.

            “Sit,” she commanded, pressing on his shoulder.  He complied and she knelt in front of him to tend to his wound.  It wasn’t a deep cut, so it only required basic attention.  Cara cleaned it with the liquid from the bottle, but stopped right before she applied the bandage.  “There’s something in here,” she said.

            “Something in there?  As in, something in my hand?”  He found the thought unsettling.  Cara grinned in amusement.

            “Don’t be such a baby.”  She felt at her boot and frowned.  Turning to Cullen, who stood nearby giving orders she said, “Commander, do you have a small knife I can borrow?  I think mine was a victim of that swim.”  Cullen gave her a questioning look, but handed over his knife without hesitation.  Without warning, Cara flattened the knife across Darin’s palm to use the point for removing the object in his hand.  Determined not to show how much it hurt, Darin ground his teeth together.  It didn’t take long to get it out, thankfully.  “Got it.”

            “What is it?  Can you tell?”  It wasn’t large, thin and perhaps the size of his pinky nail, but he was glad Cara had noticed it.

            “I’m not sure.  Hold onto it for a minute.”  She placed the shard in his other hand while she bandaged his wound, then she took it back to rinse off the blood in the flooded shaft.  “It almost looks like a piece of silverite,” she said when she returned.  “Looks like that was a mine after all.  Want it?”

            “I…I don’t know.  Why don’t you hang onto it for the moment.”  Cara pocketed the sliver, but stopped mid-motion to stare at his hand.  “What’s wrong?”  She looked up and grinned.

            “I think that’s going to leave a bit of a scar, but the funny thing is, it looks a little like something else.”  Darin was lost, so he cocked an eyebrow at her.  She just raised her left hand where he could see a discolored line across her palm.  He barked a laugh when the realization hit him.

            “I think we Trevelyans have a problem with our left hands or something!”  Cara helped him up and they followed the line of stretchers that were taking the builders to the infirmary.  When they reached the Main Hall, every eye turned to Cara.

            “Everything’s alright!” Cara announced.  “An old mine blew out a wall and flooded the storerooms we were renovating.  The builders who were down there are alive and I think they’ll make it.  We’ve got a serious mess to clean up, but there’s nothing to worry about!”  A cheer erupted from those gathered; once again their Inquisitor had saved the day.  They made their way through the throng on the way to their rooms for a change of clothes.  People insisted on thanking them or acknowledging them in some way every step.  It was a feeling Darin had never experienced, though Cara seemed to be quite used to it.  It became even stranger for him when the elven girl who had alerted them in the first place ran up to the siblings.

            “Inquisitor,” she said with a curtsy.  Her face spoke of pure joy.  “I can’t thank you enough.  My fiancé was one of the builders trapped down there; that’s how I knew they were there.  Thank you for saving him!”  She couldn’t contain herself anymore and threw her arms around Cara’s neck to embrace her, smiling from ear to ear the entire time.  Cara hugged her back, of course, since the girl clearly didn’t mind getting wet.  Then, much to Darin’s surprise, she pulled away from Cara to embrace him!  She even planted a kiss on his cheek.  He took Cara’s lead, hugging the girl in return, but he had no idea what to do.  Cara was laughing beside him.

            “Just remember, Ellen,” Cara told the elf, “we wouldn’t have known what had happened in time if you hadn’t run for help.  You helped save your fiancé just as much as we did.”  Ellen’s eyes went wide at the thought and she dropped another curtsy.  With several more utterances of her appreciation, she ran to follow the stretchers.  Darin was in a bit of a daze, but he heard Cara laugh again.

            “You alright?” she asked.

            “Is that normal for you?”

            “Depends on the situation, I suppose, but if you mean being treated like a hero in general, it happens more frequently than you’d think.  Most of the time I wish they wouldn’t, but I can’t stop them either.  I wish I could say that you get used to it, but you don’t.”

            “I’ve just…I don’t think I have done anything in my life to warrant that kind of reaction.  I don’t really know what to do with it.” 

            “Well, you did just help me save a few lives.” Cara looked at him much more seriously, now.  “Honestly, Darin.  I never would have been able to get them all out alive without you.  I don’t know why you followed me, but I’m glad you did.”  She squeezed his arm, then turned to her quarters to dry off.  After a look back toward the door the stretchers had disappeared through, he did the same. 

            The rain finally ended that evening, looking like it might actually stay gone long enough to dry out.  Darin was glad that he might be able to finally get back home to his wife soon.  Skyhold and the Inquisition were amazing, but it was a little too exciting for him sometimes.  Cara surprised him, though, with one last parting gift the night before he was set to leave.  They didn’t have a celebration this time, just a normal dinner with her inner circle.  Towards the end of it, Cara stood up to get everyone’s attention.

            “Not all of you were here for the excitement yesterday, but I’m sure you’ve all heard about our new swimming area downstairs thanks to all this rain.  Just watch out for pieces of a broken door floating around.”  Her friends laughed, but Cullen and Darin might have laughed a little harder.  After all, they knew exactly what that meant.  “Anyway, we managed to save five of our builders down there.  Barring unforeseen circumstances, it looks like they will all be fine, thank the Maker.  But this could have been a very different outcome if I hadn’t had a little help.”  She placed a hand on Darin’s shoulder, who was sitting beside her.  “Darin happened to be with me when we found out what had happened and wasted no time following me to help get those builders out of the flooded storerooms.  Without him, there’s no way I could have gotten to everyone in time.”  The table cheered for him and he could feel himself blushing.  They made it sound like it was a greater act than it had seemed at the time. “He even got a wound for the trouble!”  Cara held up his bandaged hand; now he was thoroughly embarrassed.  “It turns out he got cut on some silverite from the old mine which let all the water in.  A piece of that silverite got stuck in his hand.  So, Darin, I had something made for you.”  She produced a necklace from her pocket and handed it to him.  “Dagna made this necklace for you so you could keep that little shard with you.  And a necklace is easier to hide under a shirt.”  She grinned.

            He took it with reverence, examining it closely.  The charm was long and thin, perhaps an inch wide and two in length with a green background.  The symbol of the Inquisition was inscribed on the top, but below that was the small piece of silverite she had removed from his hand.  The whole front of the charm was encased in glass or something clear to protect it and the cord could be adjusted in length.  Yesterday had been a shock for him, partially because of people’s reactions, but also what he had come to realize he did.  He had saved the lives of three people.  That was something he had never done, and probably never would again.  It was an interesting feeling that he didn’t know how to describe.  Now, with Cara thanking him in front of everyone and giving him this gift, he had no idea what to say.  Without a better idea, he said as much to Cara.

            “I don’t know what to say, Sis.”

            “You don’t have to say anything.  It may have just been a little cut, but you injured yourself while helping others.  You didn’t hesitate; you saved lives and I don’t take that lightly.  You can keep that little sliver as a reminder of what you did here and I would be proud to consider you an honorary member of the Inquisition.”

            “As would I,” Cullen agreed from Cara’s other side.  Cara lifted her cup to the table.

            “To Darin Trevelyan, honorary member of the Inquisition!”  Everyone toasted to that and yet again Darin didn’t know what to say.  Not that he wanted to make a speech or something; a simple thank you just didn’t seem to cover it. 

            “And to think,” Cara continued,” less than two weeks ago he was being led in by restraints!”  Everyone laughed, including Darin.  Cara smiled warmly at him when she retook her seat.  Suddenly Varric spoke up.

            “Hey, Bud, isn’t that the same hand as your sister’s mark?”  Darin nodded.

            “It actually looks rather similar, too.”

            “What is it with you Trevelyans and gashes on your left hand?”  Another round of laughter bubbled up and suddenly Darin felt almost sorry that he had to leave.


End file.
